WO2003059247A2 - Appareil et procede de protection du paquet vasculo-nerveux pendant le traitement cryo-chirurgical de la prostate - Google Patents

Appareil et procede de protection du paquet vasculo-nerveux pendant le traitement cryo-chirurgical de la prostate Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2003059247A2
WO2003059247A2 PCT/IL2002/001062 IL0201062W WO03059247A2 WO 2003059247 A2 WO2003059247 A2 WO 2003059247A2 IL 0201062 W IL0201062 W IL 0201062W WO 03059247 A2 WO03059247 A2 WO 03059247A2
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
heating
shaft
cryoprobe
tissues
probe
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IL2002/001062
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
WO2003059247A3 (fr
Inventor
Samuel Cytron
Paul Sofer
Doris Schechter
Uri Amir
Roni Zvuloni
Original Assignee
Galil Medical Ltd.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Galil Medical Ltd. filed Critical Galil Medical Ltd.
Priority to JP2003559412A priority Critical patent/JP4309281B2/ja
Priority to CA002471904A priority patent/CA2471904A1/fr
Priority to AU2002356415A priority patent/AU2002356415A1/en
Priority to EP02806388A priority patent/EP1474059A4/fr
Priority to US10/412,330 priority patent/US7479139B2/en
Publication of WO2003059247A2 publication Critical patent/WO2003059247A2/fr
Publication of WO2003059247A3 publication Critical patent/WO2003059247A3/fr
Priority to US12/356,120 priority patent/US20090292280A1/en

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B18/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body
    • A61B18/02—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body by cooling, e.g. cryogenic techniques
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B17/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets
    • A61B2017/00017—Electrical control of surgical instruments
    • A61B2017/00022—Sensing or detecting at the treatment site
    • A61B2017/00084—Temperature
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B18/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body
    • A61B2018/00005—Cooling or heating of the probe or tissue immediately surrounding the probe
    • A61B2018/00041—Heating, e.g. defrosting
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B18/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body
    • A61B18/02—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body by cooling, e.g. cryogenic techniques
    • A61B2018/0231—Characteristics of handpieces or probes
    • A61B2018/0262—Characteristics of handpieces or probes using a circulating cryogenic fluid
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B18/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body
    • A61B18/02—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body by cooling, e.g. cryogenic techniques
    • A61B2018/0293—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body by cooling, e.g. cryogenic techniques using an instrument interstitially inserted into the body, e.g. needle
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B90/00—Instruments, implements or accessories specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis and not covered by any of the groups A61B1/00 - A61B50/00, e.g. for luxation treatment or for protecting wound edges
    • A61B90/10—Instruments, implements or accessories specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis and not covered by any of the groups A61B1/00 - A61B50/00, e.g. for luxation treatment or for protecting wound edges for stereotaxic surgery, e.g. frame-based stereotaxis
    • A61B90/11—Instruments, implements or accessories specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis and not covered by any of the groups A61B1/00 - A61B50/00, e.g. for luxation treatment or for protecting wound edges for stereotaxic surgery, e.g. frame-based stereotaxis with guides for needles or instruments, e.g. arcuate slides or ball joints

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for protecting the neurovascular bundle during cryoablation of tissues of the prostate. More particularly, the present invention relates to heating the vicinity of the neurovascular bundle while cooling pathological tissues in or near the prostate to cryoablation temperatures, thereby cryoablating pathological tissues while protecting the neurovascular bundle from damage.
  • cryoablation of pathological tissues has become an increasingly popular method of treatment of prostate cancer and of benign prostate hyperplasia ("BPH").
  • Cryoablation of pathological tissues is typically accomplished by utilizing imaging modalities such as x-ray, ultrasound, CT, and MRI to identify a locus for ablative treatment, then inserting one or more cryoprobes into that selected treatment locus, and cooling the treatment heads of those cryoprobes sufficiently to cause the tissues surrounding the treatment heads to reach cryoablation temperatures, typically below about - 40 ° C. The tissues thus cooled are thereby caused to loose their functional and structural integrity.
  • Cancerous cells cease growing and multiplying, and cryoablated tumor tissue material, whether from malignant tumors or from benign growths, is subsequently absorbed by the body. Cryoablation may thus be used to treat malignant tumors of the prostate, and to reduce prostate volume in cases of BPH.
  • cryosurgical ablative treatment of the prostate is the danger of partially or completely destroying the functional and structural integrity of non-pathological tissues proximate to the treatment locus, thereby having a deleterious effect on the health and quality of life of the treated patient.
  • Various devices and methods have been proposed to enable cryoablation of pathological prostate tissue while limiting damage to non-pathological tissue. These fall roughly into two categories: devices and methods which protect tissues by preventing excessive cooling of those tissues during a cryoablation procedure in their vicinity, and methods devices and methods which enable accurate placement of cryoprobes used in cryoablation, so as to successfully concentrate the cooling effect of such cryoprobes at or near pathological tissue, thereby minimizing unwanted cooling of non-pathological tissue.
  • An example of the former category is the well-known technique of introducing a heating device or a heated fluid into the urethra of a patient, to heat the urethra and tissues adjacent to it during cryoablation of portions of the prostate, thereby helping to protect the urethra from damage while prostate tissues nearby are being cooled to cryoablation temperatures.
  • An example of the latter category is provided by U. S. Patent No.
  • Schatzberger describes a high resolution cryosurgical method and device for treating a patient's prostate, including the steps of (a) introducing a plurality of cryosurgical probes to the prostate, the probes having a substantially small diameter, the probes being distributed across the prostate, so as to form an outer arrangement of probes adjacent the periphery of the prostate and an inner arrangement of probes adjacent the prostatic urethra; (b) producing an ice-ball at the end of each of said cryosurgical probes, so as to locally freeze a tissue segment of the prostate.
  • Schatzberger' s apparatus includes (a) a plurality of cryosurgical probes of small diameter, the probes being for insertion into the patient's organ, the probes being for producing ice-balls for locally freezing selected portions of the organ; (b) a guiding element including a net of apertures for inserting the cryosurgical probes therethrough; and (c) an imaging device for providing a set of images, the images being for providing information on specific planes located at specific depths within the organ, each of said images including a net of marks being correlated to the net of apertures of the guiding element, wherein the marks represent the locations of ice-balls which may be formed by the cryosurgical probes when introduced through said apertures of the guiding element to said distinct depths within the organ.
  • Schatzberger' s method and apparatus enable a surgeon to place a set of cryoablation probes within a prostate with relatively high accuracy, and to operate those probes to ablate selected tissues while avoiding, to a large extent, inadvertent and undesirable ablation of healthy tissues near the ablation site.
  • Schatzberger' s technique nor any other known technique has proven sufficiently accurate to prevent damage to peripheral tissues in all cases.
  • the neurovascular bundle a prostatic area rich in blood vessels and in nerve tissues having cardinal importance in the process of erection of penis, is particularly vulnerable to damage by conventional prostatic cryoablation procedures.
  • the neurovascular bundle lies dorsolateral to the prostate from the level of the seminal vesicles to the urethra, and is embedded in the lateral pelvic fascia along the pelvic side wall.
  • Damage to the neurovascular bundle may cause loss of sexual potency.
  • Potent patients having an active sexual life are understandably reluctant to risk loss of potency as a result of cryosurgical treatment of the prostate, and such loss of potency unfortunately occurs in a non-negligible percentage of patients treated with conventional cryosurgery, as it does also in cases of treatment of prostate tumors by non-cryosurgical means.
  • a method for protecting at least a portion of a neurovascular bundle while cryoablating tissues of a prostate comprising (a) positioning an operating tip of a cryoprobe in a vicinity of pathological tissue within a prostate; (b) positioning a heating probe in a vicinity of a neurovascular bundle; and (c) heating the heating probe while cooling the operating tip of the cryoprobe to cryoablation temperatures, thereby cryoablating pathological tissue near the operating tip while preventing freezing of tissue of the neurovascular bundle near the heating probe; thereby preventing damage to at least a portion of the neurovascular bundle.
  • the method further comprises utilizing imaging modalities to map the prostatic region of a patient, to locate pathological tissue to be cryoablated, and to locate a neurovascular bundle to be protected from cryoablation and from damage by freezing.
  • a guiding element is used to guide placement of a cryoprobe in a vicinity of the located pathological tissue, and to guide placement of the heating probe in a vicinity of the located neurovascular bundle.
  • the imaging modalities are selected from a group consisting of CT imaging, x-ray imaging, and ultrasound imaging.
  • ultrasound imaging of the prostate is obtained by insertion of an ultrasound probe into the rectum of a patient.
  • a cryoprobe having a shaft and a distal operating tip, the tip being operable to cool to cryoablation temperatures tissues surrounding the tip, thereby cryoablating the tissues, the shaft being designed and constructed to protect tissues adjacent to the shaft from cryoablation and from damage by freezing.
  • the shaft comprises an insulating element serving to thermally isolate cold regions within the shaft from external portions of the shaft having direct contact with tissues adjacent to the shaft.
  • the insulating element may be formed as an insulating sheath comprising at least a partial vacuum.
  • the shaft comprises a heating element, which may be an electrical resistance heating element, a microwave heating element, a radio frequency heating element, or a fluid heating module.
  • the fluid heating module comprises a first passage for delivery of a fluid to a volume within the shaft, and further comprises a second passage for exhausting the fluid from said volume of said shaft.
  • the first passage may be operable to deliver a pre-heated fluid to a portion of said shaft, or to deliver a compressed heating gas to a first Joule-Thomson orifice.
  • the shaft comprises a first Joule-Thomson orifice and the operating tip comprises a second Joule-Thomson orifice.
  • the cryoprobe comprises a first gas input passage and a second gas input passage, the first gas input passage being operable to deliver compressed heating gas to the first Joule-Thomson orifice while the second gas input passage delivers compressed cooling gas to the second Joule-Thomson orifice.
  • a method for protecting tissues adjacent to a shaft of a cryoprobe while cryoablating tissues adjacent to an operating tip of said cryoprobe comprising (a) cooling the operating tip of the cryoprobe to cryoablation temperatures, thereby cryoablating tissues adjacent to the operating tip; and (b) simultaneously heating a portion of the shaft, thereby preventing freezing of tissues adjacent to the shaft, thereby protecting tissues adjacent to the shaft while cryoablating tissues adjacent to the operating tip.
  • a portion of the shaft preferably the external portion adjacent to the external wall of the shaft, may be heated by electrical resistance heating, by microwave heating, by radio frequency heating, by circulating therein a pre-heated fluid, and by Joule-Thomson heating.
  • the present invention successfully addresses the shortcomings of the presently known configurations by providing an apparatus and method for protecting healthy and functionally important tissue areas during cryoablation of pathological tissues in their vicinity.
  • the present invention further successfully addresses the shortcomings of the presently known configurations by providing an apparatus and method for protecting the neurovascular bundle during cryoablation of nearby prostate tissues, thereby substantially reducing or eliminating the probability that loss of erectile potency of the patient will result from cryoablative prostate treatment.
  • Implementation of the method and system of the present invention involves performing or completing selected tasks or steps manually, automatically, or a combination thereof.
  • several selected steps could be implemented by hardware or by software on any operating system of any firmware or a combination thereof.
  • selected steps of the invention could be implemented as a chip or a circuit.
  • selected steps of the invention could be implemented as a plurality of software instructions being executed by a computer using any suitable operating system.
  • selected steps of the method and system of the invention could be described as being performed by a data processor, such as a computing platform for executing a plurality of instructions.
  • FIG. 1 is a simplified schematic of an exemplary cryoprobe, according to the methods of prior art
  • FIG. 2 is a simplified schematic of a manifold structure connecting a plurality of cryosurgical probes to a common gas source, according to the methods of prior art;
  • FIG. 3 is a simplified schematic of an alternative configuration of a pre-cooling element, according to the methods of prior art
  • FIG. 4 is a simplified schematic of an apparatus comprising an ultrasound probe and a guiding element for guiding insertion of a plurality of cryoprobes into a patient's body, according to the methods of prior art;
  • FIG. 5 is a simplified schematic showing a method of use of the apparatus presented in Figure 4, according to the methods of prior art
  • FIG. 6 is a simplified schematic showing a further step in the use of the apparatus presented in Figure 4, according to the methods of prior art;
  • FIG. 7 is a simplified schematic representation of a prostrate treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 8 is an additional view of the treatment apparatus of Figure 7;
  • FIG. 9 is a simplified flow-chart of a recommended procedure for cryoablation of a portion of an organ, such as a tumor of a prostate, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 10 is a simplified schematic representation of a prostrate treatment apparatus according to an additional preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 11 is a simplified schematic of a cryoprobe comprising a cryogenic treatment head and a heatable shaft, according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 12 is a simplified schematic of an alternative construction of a cryoprobe having a cryogenic treatment head and a heatable shaft, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 13 is a simplified schematic of a cryoprobe having an insulated shaft, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • the present invention is of apparatus and method for protecting healthy tissues from damage, while cryoablating pathological tissues nearby. More particularly, the present invention relates to heating a first selected tissue area in or near a prostate, such as the neurovascular bundle area, while cooling to cryoablation temperatures a second selected tissue area in or near a prostate, such as benign or malignant tumor tissue, thereby cryoablating selected pathological tissues while protecting the neurovascular bundle or other selected healthy tissues from damage.
  • the invention can be used to protect the neurovascular bundle during cryosurgery of prostate tissues, thereby reducing the risk of adverse effects of prostate cryosurgery to penile erectile functioning of a patent so treated.
  • heat-exchanging configuration is used herein to refer to component configurations traditionally known as “heat exchangers", namely configurations of components situated in such a manner as to facilitate the passage of heat from one component to another.
  • heat exchangers namely configurations of components situated in such a manner as to facilitate the passage of heat from one component to another.
  • heat-exchanging configurations include a porous matrix used to facilitate heat exchange between components, a structure integrating a tunnel within a porous matrix, a structure including a coiled conduit within a porous matrix, a structure including a first conduit coiled around a second conduit, a structure including one conduit within another conduit, or any similar structure.
  • Joule-Thomson heat exchanger refers, in general, to any device used for cryogenic cooling or for heating, in which a gas is passed from a first region of the device, wherein it is held under higher pressure, to a second region of the device, wherein it is enabled to expand to lower pressure.
  • a Joule-Thomson heat exchanger may be a simple conduit, or it may include an orifice through which gas passes from the first, higher pressure, region of the device to the second, lower pressure, region of the device.
  • a Joule-Thomson heat exchanger may further include a heat-exchanging configuration, for example a heat-exchanging configuration used to cool gasses within a first region of the device, prior to their expansion into a second region of the device.
  • cooling gasses is used herein to refer to gasses which have the property of becoming colder when passed through a Joule-Thomson heat exchanger.
  • gasses such as argon, nitrogen, air, krypton, C0 , CF 4 , xenon, and N 2 0
  • various other gasses pass from a region of higher pressure to a region of lower pressure in a Joule-Thomson heat exchanger
  • these gasses cool and may to some extent liquefy, creating a cryogenic pool of liquefied gas.
  • This process cools the Joule-Thomson heat exchanger itself, and also cools any thermally conductive materials in contact therewith.
  • a gas having the property of becoming colder when passing through a Joule-Thomson heat exchanger is referred to as a "cooling gas" in the following.
  • heating gasses is used herein to refer to gasses which have the property of becoming hotter when passed through a Joule-Thomson heat exchanger.
  • Helium is an example of a gas having this property.
  • passing helium through a Joule-Thomson heat exchanger has the effect of causing the helium to heat, thereby heating the Joule-Thomson heat exchanger itself and also heating any thermally conductive materials in contact therewith.
  • Helium and other gasses having this property are referred to as "heating gasses” in the following.
  • a "Joule Thomson cooler” is a Joule Thomson heat exchanger used for cooling.
  • a “Joule Thomson heater” is a Joule Thomson heat exchanger used for heating.
  • a cryosurgical apparatus includes a plurality of cryosurgical probes.
  • FIG. 1 presents a simplified schematic of an exemplary cryoprobe, according to the methods of prior art.
  • Figure 1 presents a cryoprobe 50 having an operating tip 52 including a
  • operating tip 52 includes at least one passageway 78 extending therethrough for providing gas of high pressure to orifice 80 located at the end of operating tip 52, orifice 80 being for passage of high pressure cooling gas therethrough, so as to cool operating tip
  • cryogenic pool 80 it may liquefy, so as to form a cryogenic pool within chamber 82 of operating tip 52, which cryogenic pool effectively cools surface 84 of operating tip 52.
  • Surface 84 of operating tip 52 is preferably made of a heat conducting material such as metal so as to enable the formation of an ice-ball at end 90 thereof.
  • a high pressure heating gas such as helium may be used for heating operating tip 52 via a reverse Joule-Thomson process, so as to enable treatment by cycles of cooling-heating, and further for preventing sticking of the probe to the tissue when extracted from the patient's body, and to enable fast extraction when so desired.
  • Operating tip 52 includes at least one evacuating passageway 96 extending therethrough for evacuating gas from operating tip 52 to the atmosphere.
  • holding member 72 may include a heat exchanger for pre-cooling the gas flowing through passageway 78.
  • the upper portion of passageway 78 may be in the form of a spiral tube 76 wrapped around evacuating passageway 96, the spiral tube being accommodated within a chamber 98.
  • gas evacuated through passageway 96 may pre-cool the incoming gas flowing through spiral tube 76.
  • holding member 72 may include an insulating body 92 for thermally insulating the heat exchanger from the external environment.
  • operating tip 52 may include at least one thermal sensor 87 for sensing the temperature within chamber 82, the wire 89 of which extending through evacuating passageway 96 or a dedicated passageway (not shown).
  • Probe 50 may further comprise one or more external thermal sensors 86, preferably placed at some distance from operating tip 52, operable to report on temperatures induced in surrounding tissues by cooling of operating tip 52.
  • holding member 72 may include a plurality of switches 99 for manually controlling the operation of probe 50 by a surgeon.
  • switches may provide functions such as on/off, heating, cooling, and predetermined cycles of heating and cooling by selectively and controllably communicating incoming passageway 70 with an appropriate external gas container including a cooling or a heating gas.
  • Figure 2 presents a simplified schematic of a gas distribution module connecting a plurality of cryosurgical probes 50 to a common gas source, according to the methods of prior art.
  • FIG. 2 presents a gas distribution module 40, wherein each of cryosurgical probes 50 is connected via a flexible connecting line 54 to a connecting site 56 on a housing element 58, preferably by means of a linking element 51.
  • Cryosurgical probes 50 may be detachably connected to connecting sites 56.
  • evacuating passageway 96 extends through connecting line
  • line 54 such that the outgoing gas is evacuated through an opening located at linking element 51 or at any other suitable location, e.g., manifold 55, see below.
  • line 54 further includes electrical wires for providing electrical signals to the thermal sensor and switches (not shown).
  • cryosurgical probes 50 is in fluid communication with a manifold 55 received within a housing 58, manifold 55 being for distributing the incoming high pressure gas via lines 57 to cryosurgical probes 50.
  • housing 58 is connected to a connector 62 via a flexible cable
  • connector 62 being for connecting the apparatus to a high pressure gas source and an electrical source.
  • the apparatus further includes electrical wires (not shown) extending through cable 60 and housing 58 for providing electrical communication between the electrical source and cryosurgical probes 50.
  • housing 58 includes a pre-cooling element, generally designated as 61, for pre-cooing the high pressure gas flowing to cryosurgical probes 50.
  • pre-cooling element 61 is a Joule-Thomson cooler, including a tubular member 48 received within a chamber 49, tubular member
  • Figure 3 presents an alternative configuration of a pre-cooling element 61 according to the methods of prior art, wherein tubular member 48 is in the form of a spiral tube wrapped around a cylindrical element 47, so as to increase the area of contact between tubular member 48 and the cooling gas in chamber 49.
  • housing 58 includes a first tubular member for supplying a first high pressure gas to manifold 55, and a second tubular member for supplying a second high pressure gas to pre-cooling element 61. Any combination of gases may be used for cooling and/or heating the gases flowing through such tubular members.
  • a cryogenic fluid such as liquid nitrogen may be used for pre-cooling the gas flowing through housing 58.
  • an electrical pre-cooling element may be used for pre-cooling the gas.
  • thermal sensors may be located within cable 60 and manifold 55 for measuring the temperature of gas flowing therethrough.
  • Figures 4-6 present a prior art method and apparatus utilizing an imaging device to form a three-dimensional grid of the patient's treated organ, e.g., prostate, the three dimensional grid serves for providing information on the three dimensional shape of the organ.
  • Each of a set of cryosurgical probes is then inserted to a specific depth within the organ according to the information provided by the grid.
  • Figure 4 is a simplified schematic of an apparatus comprising an ultrasound probe and a guiding element for guiding insertion of a plurality of cryoprobes into a patient's body, according to the methods of prior art..
  • an ultrasound probe 130 is provided for insertion into the patient's rectum, ultrasound probe 130 being received within a housing element 128.
  • a guiding element 115 is connected to housing element 128 by means of a connecting arm 126.
  • guiding element 115 is in the form of a plate 110 having a net of apertures 120, each aperture serves for insertion of a cryosurgical probe therethrough.
  • the distance between each pair of adjacent apertures 120 is between about 2 millimeters and about 5 millimeters.
  • Figure 5 is a simplified schematic showing a method of use of the apparatus presented in Figure 4.
  • ultrasound probe 130 is introduced to a specific depth 113 within the patient's rectum 3.
  • a net of marks 112 is provided on the obtained ultrasound image 114, the net of marks 112 on image 114 being accurately correlated to the net of apertures 120 on guiding element 115.
  • marks 112 on image 114 sign the exact locations of the centers of ice-balls which may be formed at the end of the cryosurgical probes inserted through apertures 120 to the patient's prostate 2, wherein image 114 relates to a specific depth of penetration 113 of the cryosurgical probes into the prostate 2.
  • ultrasound probe 130 is gradually introduced to various depths 113 of rectum 3, thereby producing a set of images 114, wherein each image relates to a respective depth of penetration into the prostate 2.
  • each of images 114 relates to a specific plane pe ⁇ endicular to the axis of penetration of the cryosurgical probes.
  • the set of images 114 provides a three dimensional grid of the prostate. Such three-dimensional grid is then used for planning the cryosurgical procedure. For example, the introduction of a cryosurgical probe along a given axis of penetration to a first depth may effectively destroy a prostatic tissue segment, while introduction of the probe to a second depth may severely damage the prostatic urethra.
  • each probe may be introduced to a specific depth so as to locally provide an effective treatment to a limited portion of the prostate while avoiding the damaging of non-prostatic or prostatic tissues located at other depths of penetration.
  • Figure 6 is a simplified schematic presenting a further step in the use of the apparatus presented in Figure 4, according to the methods of prior art.
  • Figure 6 shows the insertion of an operating tip 52 of a cryosurgical probe 50 through an aperture of guiding element 115 into the prostate 2 of a patient.
  • a plurality of cryosurgical probes are sequentially inserted through apertures 120 of guiding element 115 into the patient's prostate, wherein each probe is introduced to a specific depth, thereby providing substantially local effective treatment to distinct segments of the prostatic tissue while avoiding the damaging of other prostatic or non-prostatic tissue segments.
  • each of the cryosurgical probes includes a scale for indicating the depth of penetration into the prostate.
  • Figures 1-6 enable diagnostic mapping of areas to be treated within a prostate, and further enable guiding a plurality of cryogenic probes into a prostate in such a manner that the cryogenic probes are placed according to the planned treatment areas so mapped.
  • Apparatus and methods other than those depicted in figures 3-6 may be utilized to accurately deliver one or more cryoprobes to a selected locus for cryoablation of tissues thereat, and to accurately deliver one or more heating probes to selected locations for protecting healthy tissue from freezing, as will be explained hereinbelow. Attention is now drawn to Figure 7, which is a schematic representation of a prostrate treatment apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG 7 is similar to Figure 6 in all respects, which the exception of the presence of a heating probe 220 in addition to cooling probes 50.
  • Heating probe 220 may be passed through guiding element 115 into a planned location in or near the prostate or other organ, where it may be used to heat tissues during cryoablation procedures.
  • heating probes 220 may be heated to protect nearby tissues from the destructive effects of cooling induced by cryoprobes 50.
  • heating probes 220 may be similar or identical to cryoprobes 50 of Figure 1 and to probes 50 of Figure 2, and yet be differentiated by the fact that whereas cooling probes 50 are connected to a supply of cooling gas and use Joule-Thomson cooling to cool their operating heads to cryoablation temperatures, heating probes 220 are connected to a supply of heating gas and utilize Joule-Thomson heating to heat probes 220 during the surgical procedure, thereby protecting tissues in their vicinity from damage from cooling induced by cooling probes 50.
  • heating probes 220 may be heated by flow of pre-heated fluids, by electrical resistance heating, by microwave heating, by radio frequency heating, or by any other convenient form of heating.
  • identical probes connectable both to a cooling gas supply and to a heating gas supply may be utilized as cooling probes 50 in a first context, and as heating probes 220 in a second context.
  • a same probe may be utilized as cooling cryoprobes 50 at a first depth of penetration, and as heating probe 220 at a second depth of penetration.
  • Figure 8 is another simplified schematic representation of a prostrate treatment apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 8 is similar to Figure 7, but additionally presents a thermal sensor unit 222, which may comprise a thermocouple 224.
  • Thermal sensor unit 222 is shown having been placed between cryoprobes 50 and heating probes 220 in the prostate 2 of a patient, where it may be used to monitor temperature changes resulting from cooling of probes 50 and heating of probes 220.
  • Data from thermal sensor unit 222, and from thermal sensors within probes 50 and 220, may be monitored by a control module 223, which may be operable to control heating of probes 220 and cooling of probes 50, based on data received from these thermal sensors, under algorithmic control.
  • Step 300 an operator utilizes an imaging modality to image a prostate to be treated.
  • Step 300 may be accomplished utilizing the anal ultrasound probe and methodology described by Schatzberger.
  • other forms of ultrasound imaging, x-ray imaging, CT imaging (with or without use of contrast medium), MRI imaging, or yet other medical imaging modalities may be used to provide information concerning the prostate to be treated.
  • utilization of the images gleaned from step 300 is twofold.
  • the images created at step 300 are inspected to determine the locus of the pathological tissues to be cryoablated is obtained, as described by Schatzberger. (Preferably, a three-dimensional mapping of the treatment locus is created.)
  • the images created at step 300 are further inspected and the position of the neurovascular bundles, or the position of other tissue which the surgeon desires to protect, is similarly determined and mapped.
  • a guiding element such as guiding element 115 of Figure 6 is used to guide cooling probes such as cooling probe 50 of Figure 6 to the treatment locus found at step 310.
  • a guiding element is similarly utilized to guide one or more heating probes 220 to the vicinity of the neurovascular bundles, or to the vicinity of other tissues which the surgeon desires to protect.
  • a guiding element such as guiding element 115 may be used to place thermal sensor units 222 in intermediate positions between the desired locus of cryoablation and the position of the neurovascular bundle, or the position of other tissue which an operator desires to protect.
  • Output from thermal sensors may then be monitored, at step 370 below.
  • the surgeon operates cooling probes 50 to cool the pathological tissues to cryoablation temperatures, thereby cryoablating those pathological tissues, and also heats the heating probes placed in step 340, thereby protecting the neurovascular bundles or other selected tissues which the surgeon desires to protect.
  • thermal sensors in cooling probes 50 and in heating probes 220 may be used to monitor the cooling of probes 50 and the heating of probes 220, which cooling and heating may be adjusted according to the data returned by these thermal sensors, thereby facilitating the adjustment of the cooling/heating process so as to optimize cryoablation while ensuring that the neurovascular bundle, or other protected tissues, are neither cooled to destructive temperatures, nor exposed to excessive heating. If external thermal sensors were placed in optional step 350, these too may be monitored to determine the temperature at a point or points between the cryoablation locus and the position of the protected tissue, and cooling of cooling probes 50 and heating of heating probe 220 may be adjusted accordingly, to optimize the desired effect.
  • imaging modalities such as ultrasound may be used to monitor the progression of freezing in the cryoablation process, and in particular to monitor the size and position of ice-balls formed around the operating heads of cooling probes 50, and in particular to monitor the effectiveness of the heating provided by heating probes 220 in limiting the progression of formation of ice balls (frozen tissue areas) in the vicinity of the neurovascular bundle or other protected areas.
  • control unit 2220 may be managed manually by a surgeon based on monitoring images and data from thermal sensors in or near the probes.
  • control of the heating and cooling of the probes may be managed by control unit 223, based on data received electronically from the thermal sensors, under algorithmic control.
  • Figure 10 presents a simplified schematic representation of a prostrate treatment apparatus according to an additional preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 10 presents a probe 300 whose position with respect to the patient's anatomy creates particular requirements, which probe 300 is designed to satisfy. It is to be noted that a distal portion 320 of probe 300 is placed within prostate 2, and may be thought of as being located in a region whose cryoablation is desired. Shaft portion 312 of probe 300, however, is adjacent to the patient's neurovascular bundle, which it is desired to be protected from freezing during cryoablation of the tissues surrounding distal portion 320. An optimal solution to the situation depicted in Figure 10 requires that probe 300 be operable to cool distal portion 320, yet that tissues near shaft 312 be protected from freezing. Figures 11-13 present designs for a probe 300 that satisfies this requirement.
  • FIG 11 is a simplified schematic of a cryoprobe having a cryogenic treatment head and a heatable shaft, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 11 presents a cryoprobe 350 having a distal portion 320 implemented as a cryogenic operating tip 52, similar to that presented in Figure
  • Probe 350 comprises a gas input passageway 78 operable to transport cooling gas, through a heat exchanging configuration 301, to a Joule-Thomson orifice 80 in operating tip 52, for cooling operating tip 52 as described with respect to Figure 1. Expanded gas from operating tip 52 is exhausted through exhaust passageway 96. Probe 350 of Figure 11 is distinguished from probe 50 of Figure 1, however, by the presence of an electrical or electronic heating element 352 located in the proximal shaft portion 312 of probe 350. Heating element 352 may be implemented as an electrical heater resistance element 354, as a radio frequency heating element 356, as a microwave heating element 358, or as any other form of electrically powered heater.
  • Probe 350 is thus operable to satisfy the requirements discussed above with respect to Figure 10, in that operating tip 52 may be cooled to cryoablation temperatures, while shaft 312, corresponding to proximal portion 310 of probe 300 Figure 10, is heated by heating element 352. Heating of element 352 protects tissues outside shaft 312 from being frozen by cold exhaust gasses in exhaust passageway 96. Heating element 352 also protects tissues outside shaft 312 from freezing when tissues surrounding operating tip 52 are cooled to cryoablation temperatures.
  • FIG 12 is a simplified schematic of an alternative construction of cryoprobe 300, having a cryogenic treatment head and a heatable shaft, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 12 presents a cryoprobe 370 having a distal portion 320 implemented as a cryogenic operating tip 52, similar to that presented in Figure 1 and in Figure 11, and discussed hereinabove.
  • Probe 370 comprises a gas input passageway 78 operable to transport cooling gas, through a heat exchanging configuration 301, to a Joule-Thomson orifice 80 in operating tip 52, for cooling operating tip 52 as described with respect to Figure 1. Expanded gas from operating tip 52 is exhausted through exhaust passageway 96.
  • Probe 370 of Figure 12 is distinguished from probe 350 of Figure 11, however, in that shaft 312 of probe 370 is operable to be heated by a fluid heating process.
  • pre-heated fluid may be supplied to probe 370 through input passageway 372, where it heats a portion of shaft 312 and is subsequently exhausted through exhaust passageway 376.
  • Exhaust passageway 376 is preferably formed as a volume surrounding internal portions of shaft 312 that contain, in passageways 78 and 96, cold gasses transported to and from operating tip 52. Exhaust passageway 376 is also preferably formed so as to be contiguous to outer wall 313 of shaft 312. Preferably, an insulating material
  • exhaust passageway 376 (not shown) is inte ⁇ osed between exhaust passageway 376 and internal portions of shaft 312 such as cooling gas input passageway 78 and cooling gas evacuation passageway 96.
  • a portion of shaft 312 of probe 370 is heatable by Joule-Thomson heating.
  • Input passageway 372 is connectable to a source of compressed heating gas.
  • Input passageway 372 transports compressed heating gas to a Joule-Thomson orifice 374.
  • Compressed heating gas passing through orifice 374 expands into exhaust passageway 376, heats, and thereby heats outer wall 313 of shaft 312. Heated expanded heating gas is then exhausted from shaft 312 through exhaust passageway 376.
  • Probe 370 is thus operable to satisfy the requirements discussed above with respect to Figure 10, in that operating tip 52 may be cooled to cryoablation temperatures, while shaft 312 is heated by expanding heating gas from Joule-Thomson orifice 374. Heating of shaft 312 protects tissues around shaft 312 both from cold exhaust gasses in exhaust passageway 96, and from cold induced by the cryoablation temperatures induced in tissues surrounding operating tip 52.
  • FIG. 13 is a simplified schematic of a cryoprobe 300 having an insulated shaft, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG 13 presents a cryoprobe 380 having a distal portion 320 implemented as a cryogenic operating tip 52, similar to that presented in Figure 1 and in Figures 11 and 12, and discussed hereinabove.
  • Probe 380 comprises a gas input passageway 78 operable to transport cooling gas, through a heat exchanging configuration 301, to a Joule-Thomson orifice 80 in operating tip
  • Probe 370 of Figure 13 is distinguished from probe 50 of Figure 1, however, in that shaft 312 of probe 380 comprises an insulating element 382 which serves to insulate the outer surface 384 of shaft 312 from cold temperatures induced in the walls of gas exhaust passageway 96 by cold expanded cooling gasses passing therein. Insulating element 382 is preferably implemented as a vacuum-containing sheath 386 extending along at least a portion of shaft 312.
  • Probe 380 is thus operable to satisfy the requirements discussed above with respect to Figure 10, in that operating tip 52 may be cooled to cryoablation temperatures, while external surfaces of shaft 312 are not substantially cooled by the cold cooling gasses, cooled by expansion in operating tip 52, which pass therein after cooling operating tip 52.

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Abstract

L'invention concerne un appareil et une méthode de protection du paquet vasculo-nerveux pendant la cryo-ablation de tissus de la prostate. La méthode consiste à chauffer la zone située à proximité du paquet vasculo-nerveux tout en refroidissant les tissus pathologiques d'une prostate jusqu'à atteindre des températures de cryo-ablation, ce qui permet d'effectuer une cryo-ablation des tissus pathologiques tout en protégeant le paquet vasculo-nerveux contre des lésions. Une cryo-sonde utilisée pour refroidir une pointe fonctionnelle distale tout en chauffant une tige proximale est décrite.
PCT/IL2002/001062 2002-01-04 2002-12-31 Appareil et procede de protection du paquet vasculo-nerveux pendant le traitement cryo-chirurgical de la prostate WO2003059247A2 (fr)

Priority Applications (6)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP2003559412A JP4309281B2 (ja) 2002-01-04 2002-12-31 前立腺の冷凍外科治療中の神経血管束を保護する装置と方法
CA002471904A CA2471904A1 (fr) 2002-01-04 2002-12-31 Appareil et procede de protection du paquet vasculo-nerveux pendant le traitement cryo-chirurgical de la prostate
AU2002356415A AU2002356415A1 (en) 2002-01-04 2002-12-31 Apparatus and method for protecting the neurovascular bundle during cryosurgical treatment of the prostate
EP02806388A EP1474059A4 (fr) 2002-01-04 2002-12-31 Appareil et procede de protection du paquet vasculo-nerveux pendant le traitement cryo-chirurgical de la prostate
US10/412,330 US7479139B2 (en) 2002-01-04 2003-04-14 Apparatus and method for protecting tissues during cryoablation
US12/356,120 US20090292280A1 (en) 2002-01-04 2009-01-20 Apparatus and method for protecting tissues during cryoablation

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

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US34436902P 2002-01-04 2002-01-04
US60/344,369 2002-01-04

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US10/412,330 Continuation-In-Part US7479139B2 (en) 2002-01-04 2003-04-14 Apparatus and method for protecting tissues during cryoablation

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Cited By (5)

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EP1608281A2 (fr) * 2003-04-03 2005-12-28 Galil Medical Ltd Appareil et methode de cryoablation delimitee de maniere precise
EP1613232A2 (fr) * 2003-04-14 2006-01-11 Galil Medical Ltd Appareil et procede de protection de tissus en cryo-ablation
CN103083081A (zh) * 2013-01-09 2013-05-08 中国科学技术大学 一种保护装置、冷热刀和一种保护装置的控制方法
EP2759273A3 (fr) * 2005-04-28 2015-08-19 Endocare, Inc. Sonde cryochirurgicale détachable comprenant une poignée de rupture
CN108742826A (zh) * 2018-07-09 2018-11-06 上海市肺科医院 一种新型结构的医用冷冻头结构

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AU2020245381A1 (en) * 2019-03-25 2021-11-04 Biocompatibles Uk Limited Cryoprobe

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US3298371A (en) * 1965-02-11 1967-01-17 Arnold S J Lee Freezing probe for the treatment of tissue, especially in neurosurgery
US5860970A (en) * 1994-05-10 1999-01-19 Spembly Medical Limited Cryosurgical instrument
US5800487A (en) * 1996-07-23 1998-09-01 Endocare, Inc. Cryoprobe
US6505629B1 (en) * 1996-07-23 2003-01-14 Endocare, Inc. Cryosurgical system with protective warming feature

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Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7479139B2 (en) 2002-01-04 2009-01-20 Galil Medical Ltd. Apparatus and method for protecting tissues during cryoablation
EP1608281A2 (fr) * 2003-04-03 2005-12-28 Galil Medical Ltd Appareil et methode de cryoablation delimitee de maniere precise
EP1608281A4 (fr) * 2003-04-03 2010-10-20 Galil Medical Ltd Appareil et methode de cryoablation delimitee de maniere precise
US7942870B2 (en) * 2003-04-03 2011-05-17 Galil Medical Ltd. Apparatus and method for accurately delimited cryoablation
EP1613232A2 (fr) * 2003-04-14 2006-01-11 Galil Medical Ltd Appareil et procede de protection de tissus en cryo-ablation
EP1613232A4 (fr) * 2003-04-14 2010-11-10 Galil Medical Ltd Appareil et procede de protection de tissus en cryo-ablation
EP2759273A3 (fr) * 2005-04-28 2015-08-19 Endocare, Inc. Sonde cryochirurgicale détachable comprenant une poignée de rupture
CN103083081A (zh) * 2013-01-09 2013-05-08 中国科学技术大学 一种保护装置、冷热刀和一种保护装置的控制方法
CN108742826A (zh) * 2018-07-09 2018-11-06 上海市肺科医院 一种新型结构的医用冷冻头结构

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2003059247A3 (fr) 2003-09-25
AU2002356415A1 (en) 2003-07-30
JP2005514167A (ja) 2005-05-19
JP4309281B2 (ja) 2009-08-05
AU2002356415A8 (en) 2003-07-30
CA2471904A1 (fr) 2003-07-24
EP1474059A4 (fr) 2005-11-30
EP1474059A2 (fr) 2004-11-10

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